Revered ancestor of the Pyeonggang Chae; chancellery minister under King Gojong of Goryeo
| Era | 고려 중기 |
| Clan | 평강 채씨 |
Chae Song-nyeon (蔡松年) is honored as the revered ancestor of the Pyeonggang Chae, a figure of the reign of King Gojong of Goryeo. Wikipedia names Chae Gyeong-yeon (蔡敬延), an inspection official, as founder and presents Chae Song-nyeon as his great-great-grandson, while surname-information sites and the clan association give Chae Song-nyeon as founder. His dates could not be confirmed here.
He served as a royal secretary under Gojong and is said to have put down the revolt of Choe Hyang as a military commander, rising to general. He later held ranks such as chancellery minister (munhasirang pyeongjangsa), grand preceptor and grand general of the guards; his posthumous title was Gyeongpyeong, and he was enfeoffed in Pyeonggang, which became the clan seat.
His tomb is said to be in Yujin township of Pyeonggang County, and his descendants lived there for generations. The house rose under his sons Chae Jeong and Chae Ja-hwa, and eight chancellors are said to have followed. Nothing is known of his ancestors.
When Choe Hyang's revolt broke out under Gojong, Chae Song-nyeon is said to have suppressed it as military commander and been promoted to general. The exact year and course of the fighting were not confirmed here.
He was enfeoffed in Pyeonggang, and as his descendants lived there for generations it became the clan seat. For this reason clan-association texts present him in effect as founder.
The direct line from him to Chae Hong-cheol was not confirmed here, but the lines of Chae Jeong and Chae In-gyu and of Chae Mo and Chae Jong-rin supplied chancellors, and Chae Hong-cheol and his son Chae Ha-jung also came from this house.
Said to be in Yujin township, Pyeonggang County, now in North Korea; its present condition was not confirmed here.
His sons Chae Jeong (eldest) and Chae Ja-hwa (second) are recorded; Chae Jeong's descendants form the Jeongseon-gong branch.